The Queen's Christmas speech was first televised in 1957.
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Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor. It was a forerunner of modern Christmas puddings. It is linked in legend to the Celtic god Dagda, who stirred a porridge made up of all the good things of the earth.
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Although now mostly vegetarian, in Victorian times, mince pies were made with beef and spices.
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The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the "Flower of the Holy Night".
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Gold-wrapped chocolate coins commemorate St Nicholas who gave bags of gold coins to the poor.
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In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small figurine of a goat. It is usually made of straw. Scandinavian Christmas festivities feature a variety of straw decorations in the form of stars, angels, hearts and other shapes, as well as t
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The world's tallest Xmas tree at 221ft high was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
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